Expect lots more of TEs Koger and Webb this year
Coach BT not only knows FOOTBALL but also POSTS about FOOTBALL giving EPINION. Today he posted behind the Scout paywall at:
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=162&f=1088&t=4564730
A couple general thoughts so as to not take FOOD off TABLE of BT:
You can expect the tight ends to be very involved in the offense. Koger and Webb were two of the three best players on the field this spring (the third? B.Graham). The two of them are moved all over the place (on the line, in the slot, in the backfield).
Plus, the coaches met with Missouri in 2008 (Chase Coffman?) and Oklahoma in 2009 (Jermaine Gresham) to work on using the TEs in the spread.
TEs were used almost 3x as much this year in spring as in 2008.
My thoughts:
In the 2008 offense UFRs I reviewed in critiquing Martavious Odoms last month, Brian repeatedly wrote that Koger was wide open and Threet or Sheridan simply missed throwing him the ball. The kid is a beast.
I would expect in the first few games that the passing game is going to center on short crossing patterns, getting Koger in space, and using Roundtree/Stonum? as deep threats.
The more I read about the offense, if these guys stay healthy and Tate is just average (55% completion percentage, minimal INTs), I think we're going to be blown away by the diversity, speed, and unpredictability of the Michigan offense. It will be unlike any offense we've seen at the Big House.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 PM ^
^What he said! That was seriously crazy and it pretty much never failed.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
No doubt! From the 10 in that play was unstopable!
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:50 PM ^
If they were serious about implementing TEs in the future wouldn't the staff be offering more than one TE this year?
I absolutely love using a TE in the offense but I am skeptical of what they will actually do with them. Wasn't the last TE converted to DE, and I thought he was pretty good TE option at the time too.
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 PM ^
But I think that with two TE's right now that have pretty good potential, Rich Rod will use them when they're here. If you have 'em, use 'em.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 PM ^
I fully agree with what your saying but if they're going to invest the time and work to getting the TEs to be a real threat in the offense wouldn't it make sense to back fill the position.
3 TEs is not much depth, unless there is a bunch of walk ons that I am missing, especially if your going to run formations with 2 TEs there is no depth for that to be something you can continually look towards for plays.
Our TE depth went from 6 to 3 last year very quickly with a transfer, an injury and a bad decision. And TEs are a big portion of our offense, and that limited depth definitely hindered us.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 PM ^
Six tight ends is way too many.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 PM ^
Man, if there is a cursed position at ND it seems to be TE. For the 2 guys who have made it through Weis's system they were both drafted and are doing really well in the NFL.
But there has been no position with a higher turnover rate on our team,
3 transfers
1 dismissal
1 done from injury
talk about high risk high reward. We would have been back to 6 TEs this season but Fauria transferred to UCLA so we're down to 5 and look to only be taking one TE in this upcoming class. For those who stay, its not a bad deal.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:48 PM ^
Jimmah only throws fades and flys. :P
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^
and posts, and slants, and screens, and go's, and TDs :)
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
fly = go
August 4th, 2009 at 12:01 AM ^
thanks, I wondered
and INTs
one of the BEST collegiate tight ends ever, 20 something years ago, in Ken McAffee.
Actually, maybe the best tight end ever.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 PM ^
I don't know. TE's were never used much in RR's offense at WVU so, I don't know. Biggest thing is, IMO, they won't be using that formation extremely often, still a lot of three, four WR sets with a back or two.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:48 PM ^
Well the only time I thought RR liked using the TE at WV was essentially as a big WR in the red zone and there was something like only 3 different plays they actually got in on. Maybe its just a misconception I have.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:12 AM ^
By the way, Michigan has offered a few tight ends this year: Alex Smith, Alex Welch, and Randall Telfer. It's just that they've all committed elsewhere shortly after receiving Michigan's offer.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^
I didn't know about Telfer, and I thought Welch was offered on defense? Maybe I am getting that confused with someone else.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:25 AM ^
He may have been offered on defense, but if that's the case, I never heard of it.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:27 AM ^
de-committed and is seriously considering Michigan
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 PM ^
with junior eligibility or more. Brandon Moore (RS Fr), Koger (SO) and Martell Webb (Jr). It's not super critical.
And Carson Butler was converted to DE because he's an ass. You might remember him from slapping a Notre Dame guy in the head at the end of the game last year. After he served his penance for that, he wasn't going to bypass Webb and Koger, so he switched. He is a very good talent, but never seemed to put it together, either with Carr or RR.
EDIT: meant as a reply to Irish
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:27 PM ^
Oh yeah, he became someone the ND fans could continue to dislike way beyond that game and I wouldn't be surprised to see some comments as this years game approaches. Hopefully the Butlers of college football don't end up on either school's team.
Nobody looks good when that happens
August 4th, 2009 at 12:10 AM ^
Tim from VB, er, MGoBlog recently scouted Jackson to possibly put on some muscle and move to TE, even pick up an extra *. Maybe there's a future in it?
I think it's obvious RR will want to do some more things to open up the middle of the field this year, at least in order to keep HR threats alive down the sidelines. If Michigan plans to open things up over the middle, my gut reaction is that RR's use of TEs will probably not be orthodox. But needless to say, visits to Missou and the hype surrounding Moore, Koger and Webb this summer add up to more than mere unfounded speculation.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:17 AM ^
I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who's reliable when it comes to Jeremy Jackson, and he says that Jackson would go elsewhere if the coaches wanted him to play tight end. He wants to be a WR, even if he has to go somewhere other than where his dad coaches.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^
What he said.
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 PM ^
I want to know more about Brandon Moore. I realize he was a freshman last year, but he was a 4 star, highly rated. Has anyone read anything about him?
August 4th, 2009 at 12:04 AM ^
I heard he has stone hands.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:28 AM ^
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 PM ^
Koger or Webb's progress with run-blocking? Minor Rage+?
August 4th, 2009 at 12:07 AM ^
I remember all the buzz about how great the tight-ends looked during spring practice and how they were going to get so many more receptions, but i don't think they had anything thrown their way during the spring game.
only ran 14 passes. I wouldn't use the lack of passes to the TEs in the spring game as evidence for or against their use in the passing game this year.
My guess is that it's a new wrinkle to Rich Rod's offense that he was loathe to use last year because the protection was so awful during the first part of the year.
He's visited Mizzou and Oklahoma the past two offseasons to learn how to implement the TEs in the offense.
Chase Coffman for Missouri had 41, 58, 51 and 83 receptions from 2005-08.
Jermaine Gresham for Oklahoma has had 8, 37, and then 66 receptions from 2006-08.
If Rich Rod can get the TEs up to 30-40 receptions this year, that would be pretty decent.
Magnus, while your points are well-taken as usual, I think you're overplaying the "Tate is short" angle. All things being equal, yes, it is easier for a DL to bat down a pass from a shorter QB and harder for the QB to see downfield. But who says all things are equal? Give me a short QB with a higher release point and a line that can block to set up passing lanes over a freshMallett any day.
Really, though, nobody has defined what "lots" more production out of the TEs means. Is it double the production, which would be what, a dozen catches? 20? 30? I doubt anyone is expecting Coffmann- or Gresham-as-a-senior levels of production.
And not that anyone asked me, but I think there will be a few more seam routes thrown to the TEs and a return to the waggle with a dragging TE or slot. Lots of underneath routes. I think a TE will catch at least one TD on a play similar to the TD thrown by Sheridan to Shaw early in the Utah game. I'll go with 20 catches and 3-4 TDs.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:40 AM ^
http://www.gobluemichiganwolverine.blogspot.com/
Here is what they put on today about TE's.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:48 AM ^
I refuse to read GBMW. It probably doesn't mean much, but I don't give them my internet traffic. I tried to read it a couple times when there was a big MGoBlog/GBMW battle a couple months ago, and it was so useless and poorly written that I vowed not to visit again.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:52 AM ^
Lol. Yeah they suck at writing. I just read it because it is interesting but take with a grain of salt.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:41 AM ^
FWIW, GBMW talks about the TEs today. i know i know, coachbt etc etc.
EDIT: ooops cp112 beat me to it. and with a link.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:11 PM ^
share the Heisman this year after each going for 90 catches and 1,000 yards with 22 TD's each, will you all be quiet?
The only noise you'll hear is massive opening of champagne.
August 4th, 2009 at 11:19 PM ^
I can't believe you like totally ripped this entire article off from Scout...paraphrased it from Scout...I mean that's premium info right there...a lot of people pay a lot of money...9.95/month for this stuff, get it for free from GBMW. Same Shit For FREE!!!
Tom Beaver is a tool.